1. Field of the Invention
Subject matter of this invention is related to circuit interrupters generally and more particularly to wire retainer collars.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,789 entitled "Terminal Assembly for A Circuit Breaker and Similar Apparatus" issued to Barbry on Apr. 27, 1993. The present invention is an improvement over the teachings of the '789 patent. Electrical circuit breakers are well know. It is necessary to interconnect external electrical line and load terminals to the circuit breaker terminals. One way of doing this is by utilizing a collar arrangement, which provides a solderless way of interconnecting the external load and line conductors with the main terminals of the circuit breaker. Basically the collar arrangement consist of electrically conductive material having a periphery which captures or encloses an overlapping arrangement of the internal terminal of the circuit breaker and the external line or load conductor as the case may by. A set screw arrangement is then provided in a threaded opening in the collar for turning down on the adjacent overlapping conductor and terminal for holding them in place. One problem with the prior art collar is the tendency for it to separate at its peripheral joint as the set screw is turned down onto the overlapping terminal and conductor. Obviously this is undesirable. It would be desirable, therefor, if a collar for a circuit breaker could be provided which did not easily separate when the set screw utilized therein was turned down upon the internal terminal an external conductor which the collar interconnects.